New Events
by steph84
Summary: Fulton has a girlfriend; and she's pregnant! Second chapter is up, please read and review!
1. New Events

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the Mighty Ducks in any shape, way or form.  
  
  
  
Never even dreaming that it was possible, she examined the little stick in her hand. A pink positive sign. Never in a million years. She was pregnant. How would she tell her parents? What would all of her friends say? And Fulton; what would he think?  
  
Lil Thompson never dreamed that she would get pregnant at such a young age, but then again she never dreamt that she would meet such a great guy so soon after moving to Minneapolis. Fulton Reed was like a dream come true. After her parents divorce and Mom's idea to move back to her hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota, live became hectic for the twelve-year- old girl. She needed stability in her life. No more change. The divorce was enough change for a good ten years.  
  
Meeting Fulton one day in a back alley, while he shot hockey pucks at an open trunk was the best thing that ever happened to her, although she almost wound up with a concussion because of it. Fulton had one hell of a slap shot! From then on, she became known as "Fulton's girl" and she kind of liked that, considering all the kids were afraid of him. That meant that they wouldn't bother her, either.  
  
However, when Fulton became part of the local hockey team of peewees, this meant that he had less time for her and more friends to hang around. It wasn't jealousy that got to Lil; it was the fact that she had to make more friends with people she wasn't sure that she liked. Luckily, she found all of them to be very kind and generous, once they got over their fear.  
  
Lil had turned thirteen just over a month ago, about the same time she had gotten pregnant. It was an accident. She never meant for it to happen. But wasn't that what every girl said? Now here she was, sitting in her bathroom on a wintry Saturday afternoon, staring at a little white stick with a clear pink positive sign on it. Teenage pregnancy.  
  
Looking at her watch, she discovered that it was almost one o'clock. She was going to the Ducks' (that was the hockey team that Fulton was on) hockey game and it started at two. The arena was just down the street, but she decided to talk to Fulton before the game began.  
  
She showed up on his doorstep at one fifteen. "Lil, hi!" he said, when he opened the door. "I was just getting ready to leave."  
  
"I thought I'd walk with you," she replied. "Is that OK?"  
  
"Of course," he said, smiling at her. "Mom, I'm leaving now, OK? Be back later." With that, he slammed the door and looked at his girlfriend. "So, what's up?"  
  
"Well…" Lil found out that the words just wouldn't come to her mouth as easily as she would have liked. "There is something I want to talk to you about."  
  
"Hey you guys! Heading to the game?" Charlie Conway skated around the corner and caught up with them, his roller blades almost causing him to fall into them.  
  
"Yeah, man. Wanna come with us?" Fulton gave Charlie a high five as he accepted his offer. Lil sighed. This just wasn't going to be the time. She followed them to the arena, quiet as a mouse, while they chattered on about the upcoming game. When they arrived, Fulton turned back to Lil. "Sorry about that. What were you going to say?"  
  
Lil smiled, and tried to put on a front. "Nothing. It's OK. Good luck in the game."  
  
Fulton smiled and kissed her on the cheek, then running off to the locker room. Lil sighed, once again, and went into the arena to find a seat.  
  
The Ducks lost the game, 6-0, but this was nothing unusual. The coach, Gordon Bombay, took his time talking to the team after the game, and Lil decided to leave. Talking to Fulton could wait another few hours.  
  
But a few hours turned out to be a full day. When she got home, it was nearly four thirty. She managed to catch a few hours sleep later on, and that's when Fulton called. When she woke up, her mother told her. "Better call Fulton. He's called twice."  
  
"Thanks, Mom!"  
  
Picking up the receiver in her mother's room upstairs, she listened for the dial tone, then dialled Fulton's number. It rang three times before his mom picked up. "Hello?"  
  
"Hi, Mrs. Reed, it's Lil. Would Fulton be in?"  
  
"I'm sorry, dear, he's just gone to the store for me. I'll have him call you when he gets in."  
  
"Oh. OK, well thanks." Lil tried not to show her disappointment as she replaced the receiver in the cradle. She lay on the bed for a second and thought. Just because Fulton wasn't home, didn't mean that she couldn't talk to her mother. As much as the idea didn't appeal to her, it had to be done.  
  
Lil went downstairs, taking deep breaths all the way down. Her mother was on the couch, knitting a blanket for Lil's bed and watching an early re-run of Saturday Night Live. Lil swallowed hard before approaching her mom. "Mom? Can we talk?"  
  
Lil was surprised at how well her mother took the news. She cried a bit, but she didn't yell, or tell Lil how disappointed she was. She simply hugged her daughter and repeated, "It's OK, Lil, we'll get through this. We've been through a lot and this is just another obstacle we have, but we'll do fine."  
  
Suddenly she pulled back. "Is Fulton the father?"  
  
Lil nodded, keeping her head down, raising her eyes only after her mother looked away. She heard her mom sigh. "Does he know yet?" Lil shook her head, sheepishly.  
  
"I tried to tell him today, Mom, I really did, but he was too involved in the game."  
  
Her mother nodded. "Tomorrow," was all she said. "You'll tell him tomorrow."  
  
"But, Mom, his mom said she'd have him call me when he got back from the store."  
  
"No, Lil, not tonight. You've been through a lot, and you need your rest. I want you to go upstairs and lie down."  
  
"But, Mom, it's only…"  
  
"Lillian, I'm aware of the time!" Whoa. Lil was only called Lillian when her mother was frustrated with her. "Please, just go lie down for awhile. I will call Mrs. Reed and talk to her. We'll pay her and Fulton a visit tomorrow and we can tell them together."  
  
Lil hugged her mom once more before heading upstairs. "Why don't you have a hot bath?" her mother suggested. "I'll get it ready for you." Although Lil had the distinct feeling that her mother was avoiding calling Mrs. Reed, she felt comforted by this action and let her mother lead her upstairs to get the bath ready.  
  
While she lay soaking in the tub, bubbles floating over the edge of the tub, she listened to her mom on the phone downstairs. She strained her ears to hear her mother's low voice.  
  
"Hello, Mrs. Reed? It's Mrs. Thompson, Lillian's mother. Yes, I'm fine, thank you. Yourself? That's good. Listen, Mrs. Reed, I believe that Lil, Fulton, you, your husband, and myself need to have a discussion about something. No, I wouldn't exactly call it a problem…"  
  
Lil listened to her mother make plans with Mrs. Reed for tomorrow and hang up the phone. This left the house in complete silence, and gave Lil more time to think. She put her hands on her stomach and held them there. She had a baby inside of her! A living creature that depended on her for every nurturing thing possible! It was an incredible thought.  
  
A knock at the door brought Lil out of her thoughts and back to earth. "Lil? Mrs. Reed says it's OK that we come over tomorrow, about one. They'll be waiting for us, all three of them." Lil thought she detected a bit of nervousness in her mother's voice, but if it was there, it was soon gone. She hesitated for a moment. "Lil? You know you have a lot of decisions to make, right? Like, are you going to keep the baby or not? You know my feelings on abortion, but this is your decision, sweetie. I don't want my beliefs affecting your decision." There was quiet at the door.  
  
"Yes, Mom, I know. I'm sorry for getting myself into this mess."  
  
"Oh, sweetie. We'll get through it." Lil heard the choked up emotion in her mother's voice and knew what was coming. "I love you."  
  
"I love you, too, Mom."  
  
Lil got directly out of the bath and into bed that night. Sleep came easy to her, but her mother stay awake for a long time, thinking about how young she was when she had Lil. She was older, but not by much.  
  
The next morning, Lil got up and went into the kitchen. Her mother had fallen asleep on the couch and was still asleep. Covering her with a blanket, she proceeded to the kitchen where she made herself some breakfast. She was just sitting down at the table when the doorbell rang. Jumping up, she glanced at the clock. Nine thirty. Who would be at the door this early?  
  
"Fulton!" she exclaimed when she saw him. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"Lil! I called last night but your mother said you had gone to bed. It was barely eight o'clock. Are you alright? Mom said you guys were coming over to talk today. What's going on?"  
  
"Fulton, we have to talk. Does your mother know you're here?"  
  
Fulton shook his head. "No, her and Dad were still sleeping when I woke up. So what's going on?"  
  
"Oh, Fulton." Lil sat down at the table like a deflated balloon. "I'm pregnant."  
  
Fulton's face remained the same as he stood in the doorway of the kitchen. He didn't flinch, didn't move a muscle. "Did you hear me, Fulton? I said I'm pregnant and you're the father!"  
  
"I heard you." His voice sounded far away, like he was in outer space. "Pregnant? Are you sure? I mean, doctors can be wrong, you know."  
  
"I haven't been to a doctor yet. Mom's taking me tomorrow. But I have done three pregnancy tests, Fulton, and they all came out clearly positive."  
  
Fulton shook his head. "My parents are gonna kill me!"  
  
"Kill you?" Lil shrieked. "What about me? I'm the one who's pregnant here! Don't I count?"  
  
Fulton came towards Lil. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I am thinking about you. Lil, we have a lot of thinking to do."  
  
Lil sighed. "Yeah, I know. But let's tell your parents first. I'll see you later."  
  
Fulton's parents took the news rather harshly. Well, technically his mother took the news well. His father, on the other hand, wasn't so impressed. He started putting down Lil and her mother, claiming "what kind of mother raises a child to think that it's OK to have children at the age of thirteen!"  
  
"Whoa, wait a minute!" Mrs. Thompson cried. "Don't you dare blame me for this, I just found out yesterday! And don't you blame my daughter, because your son is as much to blame as Lil!"  
  
After awhile and a few cups of coffee, Mr. Reed settled down. They managed to carry on a conversation like adults, and not little screaming children. They all agreed that it was up to Lil and Fulton to make the decision. "But you don't have that long, honey," Lil's mother told her. "I don't want to rush you, but you should make your decision as fast as you can."  
  
Lil went home that night with more of a burden on her shoulders than ever before. She made a list, as did Fulton. Pros and cons of having a child. Lil knew that no matter what, her mother would stand by her. And Fulton's parents would stand by him, too, and in the end, that's all that mattered.  
  
A week later, Fulton and Lil announced their decision to their parents.  
  
"You're going to keep the baby?" The teenagers could not avoid hearing the disappointment in their parents' voices.  
  
"Yes! The way I figure it is I don't believe in abortions, and Fulton said that was one hundred percent my choice, as no one can tell me what to do with my body. And as for adoption, once you give birth to that baby, it's your baby. Not someone else's baby. You want to keep it and nurture it for yourself and watch it grow." Fulton nodded eagerly beside his girlfriend.  
  
Mr. Reed sighed heavily, as if the weight of the world had been put on his shoulders. "Well, if that's your choice…so be it."  
  
The next few months were filled with chaos. Lil got to the doctor's to confirm her pregnancy, and made appointments to go every other week for a check up. School schedules had to be arranged, and Lil was going to be home taught once she reached her sixth month of pregnancy, to avoid hassle at the school. The Ducks were in awe of what was happening before their very eyes. Especially Connie Moreau. She loved to feel Lil's stomach and feel the baby kick, once Lil got to that stage in her pregnancy.  
  
When Lil was in her early eighth month, Gordon Bombay left coaching to play for a hockey team. While saying goodbye to him at the bus station with the Ducks and Charlie's mom there, Lil felt a sharp pain jab her lower stomach. She placed a hand there, and tried to ignore it, not wanting to ruin the moment. But the pain grew sharper and sharper until she cried out. Casey (Charlie's mom) looked her way. "Honey, are you alright?"  
  
Lil nodded. "I think so." She grimaced as the pain struck again. "I'm not sure." Gordon dropped his bag on the ground and walked over to Lil. Picking her up in his arms, he told Casey to go call a cab. "No, I'm fine, really," Lil insisted, but Gordon quieted her.  
  
"Charlie, go call her mom and tell her to meet us at the hospital." Five minutes later Casey arrived. "The cab is going to meet us in front of the bus terminal in fifteen minutes."  
  
Fulton was at Lil's side from the moment she first felt the pain until she got into the delivery room. Breathing heavily, she grimaced each time a contraction hit. The pain intensified until she could stand it no more. The world blackened around her as she heard the first wailing cry of her baby… 


	2. Jenna

Lil sighed and looked at the clock. Close to two a.m. Did this child never sleep? The constant crying kept her awake most of the night, leaving her exhausted for the next morning. It seemed that she could never catch a break because little Jenna was never happy.  
  
Named after Lil's grandmother, Jenna Melanie Thompson-Reed was a beautiful baby. She looked more like herself than Fulton, Lil thought, but would never say it. She was born at the end of spring, on May 16. It was now May 31, and Lil still hadn't gotten used to motherhood. She knew it would take awhile, but she figured things would be easier. It was agreed that Jenna would stay at Lil's house with her until Lil and Fulton could get a place of their own, when they were older. Lil figured that her mom would do everything for her: change Jenna's diapers, get up with her in the middle of the night, feed her, watch her when Lil went out with her friends. So far, her mother had left the responsibility up to her. Oh, she did show Lil how to put the diaper on and helped her until Lil had enough practice, and she helped her feed her, too. But other than that, she told Lil if she wanted her to watch her, she had to give her notice, like she would a regular babysitter. And she would only watch Jenna two times a week, if Lil wanted to go out with her friends. All things considering, Lil had it pretty good.  
  
She got involved with an Unwed Teen Mothers group at the local recreation centre. They met three times a week, and took their babies, and discussed how parenting was. Their instructor, or colleague, was Lindsay Hopper. She was twenty and had a three-year old son, named Jacob. She talked to the girls about their financial support, and the emotion strain that a child could put on them, their families, and their relationships with their boyfriends. There were fourteen girls in total: nine were already mothers and five were pregnant. This group helped Lil vent her feelings about motherhood and all that was on her mind.  
  
Her only concern, aside from her mother, was the team. The only friends she had known here in Minnesota. What did they think of her? She knew that it was obvious that they were in shock; Lil was the same age as them. If it could happen to her and Fulton, it could happen to any of them, right?  
  
Months dragged on. Lil was still being home schooled, and Jenna was getting bigger by the day. Every day, after school, Fulton would rush over to see them, stay for a while, playing with Jenna and talking to Lil. They talked about everything, from school to gossip, but they managed to avoid one subject: their relationship. Lil found herself thinking that it was changing, and she wasn't sure if it was for better or for worse.  
  
However, she put up with it for the following months, not letting it get in the way. She finished her schooling in October, taking longer because home schooling went through the summer months. It was that year that Fulton and the rest of the Ducks went on to the Junior Goodwill Games as Team U.S.A. Fulton desperately wanted Lil to join them, as a friend of the team. He sensed the distance growing between them, and wanted to correct it before it got any further.  
  
Lil felt torn. How could she leave her mother alone for so many weeks? She would take Jenna with her, of course, but could she leave her mom? She cared for Fulton a lot, a lot more than before Jenna was born. He showed a genuine interest in his daughter and even got a part-time job at the local sports store to help earn money for her. Could she really deprive him of his fatherly rights by staying with her mother? Oh, decisions, decisions!  
  
Lil never expected her answers to come with one simple telephone call. But they did. "You'll never guess who phoned today while you were out!" her mother crowed, as soon as Lil walked in the door from the Unwed Mothers group. Lil went about, setting down Jenna's bag and getting the little girl ready for her nap.  
  
"Who?" she asked, rather absentmindedly.  
  
"Auntie Gloria! She's coming to visit for three or four months while Uncle Glen is in Europe!"  
  
This caught Lil's attention. "Three or four months? When is she coming?"  
  
"The day after tomorrow," her mother replied. "This means you don't have to worry about leaving me alone because Gloria will be here, so you can go with Fulton to the Goodwill Games! Of course, we'll miss little Jenna around here." Lil's mom picked up the baby, who was gurgling away happily in her baby seat. Lil sighed. That was an easy decision.  
  
Fulton was thrilled that she and Jenna would be able to go to the Junior Goodwill Games with him and the rest of the team. "Awesome!" he cried when Lil told him the good news. "Jenna will get to see me play!"  
  
Lil was happy that everything fell into place so easily. But the feelings of dread that had been building up inside of her for weeks were finally pushing to be released. She couldn't decide if she herself wanted to go, for she didn't know if she loved Fulton like she did before.  
  
Jenna was six months old when the team left for the Goodwill Games. Packing for her turned out to be a great chore. It took all three of them—Lil, her mom and her Aunt Gloria—to pack for one baby. Finally, they managed to get it done, and Lil kissed her mother and Aunt goodbye.  
  
"You make sure to call us everyday!" her mother said, as she watched Fulton's mother pull up to the curb outside the house. Fulton got out of the car and ran to help a struggling Lil with Jenna's bags and things. He grabbed the baby, who was in her car seat, and hurried back down to the car. Lil stared after him, and blew a strand of hair out of her eyes. It's OK; I'll get it, she thought to herself as she bent down to pick up another bag. Her mother leaned down to help her. As she did, she smiled. Lil smiled back.  
  
The airport was a madhouse. Fulton marched along up ahead with his new found friend, Dean Portman. A few other players were added to the roster, and Portman was one of them. He was a rough and tough type, and he and Fulton apparently didn't like each other very much at first. But those friendships take time and Lil was glad they decided to be friends instead of enemies.  
  
Lil struggled along behind them, Connie and Julie, another new player, the new backup goalie, helped her. "Men!" Lil huffed as she tried to carry Jenna and her diaper bag at the same time. "They think they can walk all over you!" Of course, she was referring to Fulton, but Connie and Julie just smiled, not sure of what to say.  
  
Once they were seated on the plane, Lil felt exhausted and worn out. She could see that this was going to be a real working trip. Fulton sat by Portman, three rows up from her and Jenna. Connie and Julie sat on either side of them, playing with Jenna. As soon as the seatbelt sign clicked off, Fulton got up out of his seat and came over to see Lil. Exhausted from the trip to the airport, all Lil wanted to do was sleep. Connie got up out of her seat beside Lil and went over to see Guy, leaving the spot wide open for Fulton to sit down. He sat and Lil closed her eyes, praying that he would notice her exhaustion and leave her alone.  
  
"Hi," he said, sitting down beside her. "How's it going?"  
  
Lil shrugged. "We're alive."  
  
Fulton reached over his girlfriend and started tickling Jenna's sides. She squealed with laughter and hit at his hand. He grinned and turned his attention back to Lil, who was still sitting still with her eyes closed. Fulton must have gotten the hint after a few minutes, because he got up, quietly, and left her alone. When Lil opened her eyes, she noticed Julie staring at her, but nothing was spoken between the two girls.  
  
Three days later, Lil was regretting her decision to come along for the trip. Fulton had practically ignored her from the moment the plane landed, only looking at her when he thought she wasn't looking. Even then, he only gave her little glances as if to let her know that he was ignoring her for a purpose.  
  
It was the day of Team U.S.A.'s first game and Lil was running late for it. She was carrying Jenna in one arm and trying to grab her diaper bag with the other hand. Jenna kept pulling on Lil's hair, and Lil was getting frustrated. Suddenly there was a knock on the dorm door. Lil sighed in frustration and threw the bag down, running to answer it.  
  
"Robert!" The tall man stepped into the room and grinned at Lil. Robert Nelson was a close family friend and lawyer. Since Lil had her hopes set on being a lawyer later on in life, she looked up to this man. He often told her if he was in town on a case, he would take her with him to show her how it was done.  
  
"Hey, Lil. Hey, cutie." He chucked Jenna under her chin and she giggled, putting her hands up to her face. "Your mom told me I would find you out here."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Lil was almost speechless. She hadn't seen Robert in ages, ever since they moved to Minnesota. Robert smiled.  
  
"I'm here on a case. I'm fulfilling my promise. Court starts on Monday morning. Would you be interesting in joining me?"  
  
"Would I!" Lil was thrilled. But then she remembered.  
  
"Oh no! Fulton has a early morning practice Monday that will take him until about eleven!  
  
Robert shrugged. "Can't you tell him to take her early?"  
  
Lil was silent for a moment. Maybe she could. 


End file.
